When it comes to getting the nutrients you need to keep your body and sleep healthy, remember this: food first.

Of course, there are occasions to strategically add in some smart supplementation to help fill in the nutritional gaps and get things back in line from a lifetime of deficiency. But the reason food is so paramount to getting these nutrients is that your body has evolved to “recognize” the nutrients that it can extract from whole foods.

There’s no guarantee that your body is going to readily assimilate the vitamin C from a supplement just because the pill bottle says it’s in there. Your cells and healthy gut bacteria are more likely to play nicely with real food than any fancy supplement.

So what should you be eating to ensure a great night's rest? Here are some of the most important good-sleep nutrients and the best foods to find them in:

1. Selenium

A deficiency in selenium could play a role in sleep abnormalities. It’s also critical for your immune system function and thyroid function.

With selenium, a little bit can go a long way. Great sources are Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, beef, oysters, chicken, and cremini mushrooms.

2. Vitamin C

Some research suggests that people with low blood levels of vitamin C have more sleep issues and are more prone to waking up during the night.

4. Potassium

A study published in the journal Sleep found that potassium may be helpful for those who have trouble staying asleep. Bananas are often touted as the best source of potassium, but there are far better sources (especially if you want to avoid the excess sugar).

Leafy greens, potatoes, dulse (a mineral-rich sea veggie), broccoli, cremini mushrooms, and avocados are excellent sources of potassium. If you love guacamole, this is probably the best news ever.

5. Calcium

Other research suggests that disturbances in REM sleep could be linked to a calcium deficiency.

6. Vitamin D

There are a few food sources of vitamin D, such as swordfish, salmon, tuna, mackerel, shiitake mushrooms, and oysters, but the optimal way to get your vitamin D levels up, as the research indicates, is through smart exposure to natural sunlight.

Still, it isn’t always possible to get the adequate sunlight we need because of where we live and the time of year. This would be a smart place to supplement, at least for part of the year, with an intelligently produced vitamin D3 supplement.

7. Omega-3s

A study conducted by the University of Oxford found that omega-3s can help you get deeper, more restful sleep.

8. Melatonin

Melatonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep cycles, can be found in small amounts in some foods, while others could also help raise your body’s production of melatonin.

Tart cherries are far and away the food source with the highest amount of melatonin, but there is also a tiny amount found in walnuts. Some of the foods that have been found to naturally boost your body’s melatonin levels are pineapples (the leader in one particular study), bananas, and oranges.

It should go without saying that these foods would ideally be organic and minimally processed. Of course, there are many other foods and nutrients that are important for human health. The great thing about eating real foods is that you’ll get a whole host of other nutrients that come along with the ones above—all in a delicious, bioavailable form.

Shawn Stevenson

Shawn Stevenson is a bestselling author and creator of The Model Health Show, featured as the #1 Health podcast on iTunes with over one million listener downloads each month. A graduate of The University of Missouri—St. Louis, Shawn studied business, biology, and kinesiology, and went on to be the founder of Advanced Integrative Health Alliance, a company that provides wellness services for individuals and organizations worldwide. Shawn has been featured in Entrepreneur magazine, Fast Company, Men's Health magazine, ESPN, FOX News, and many other major media outlets. To learn more about Shawn visit TheModelHealthShow.com.